


sorry man, do we know each other?

by LilisBooks



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Behavior, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, I change canon so much canon will kick my ass, M/M, Slow Burn, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:15:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29614851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilisBooks/pseuds/LilisBooks
Summary: He was Johnny Lawrence, a grown ass fucking man, whose life didn’t revolved around Daniel LaRusso. A petty childhood rivalry shouldn’t have a hold on him anymore, and yeah it sucked, but the past was the past and if he wanted to stop being such a fucking loser, he needed to get a grip. He needed to let go of the past.And that meant leaving everything in the past. Everything, including his recollection of the man in front of him.
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 50
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the [post](https://eagle-do-karate.tumblr.com/post/642142652814458880/quick-lawrusso-story-idea-everything-starts) by [Eagle Do Karate](https://eagle-do-karate.tumblr.com/) that says what if after their reunion at LaRusso Auto Johnny has an epiphany and "decides from then and there that he’ll leave the past in the past. But because he’s Johnny Lawrence, he figures letting go of the past is just forgetting about it all together.
> 
> Cue Cobra Kai like you’ve never seen it before. Johnny make healthy, life decisions. Bobby being the best friend giving good advice. Robby & Johnny slowly repairing their relationship. Miguel learning to defend himself while building a brotherly rapport with Robby and building a relationship with Sam."
> 
> And this was born.
> 
> Thank you to [ indecisivebehaviors](https://archiveofourown.org/users/indecisivebehaviors/pseuds/indecisivebehaviors) for helping me out with this story and being an amazing friend. Check out their Lawrusso stories, they're awesome.
> 
> Without further ado, let's begin.

If Johnny didn’t love the Firebird as much as he did, he wouldn’t be standing outside of LaRusso Auto. If he could have it his way, he would never set foot anywhere near that last name, as it had ruined his life all those years ago. He blamed LaRusso, for sure, but that didn’t mean he wanted to see the man ever again. If Johnny believed in fate, which he didn’t, he would be saying that fate had it against him and was spitting in his face by having his car run over by a bunch of teenage girls. 

God, he needed a drink. 

Screaming one last FUCK inside his head, he put on the hoodie and adjusted his sunglasses. He needed his car back. 

He made his way through the dealership quick and effective, tightening his fists in the pockets of his jacket every time some douchebag tried to approach him and offer him some fancy as shit car that reminded him so much of Sid he wanted to puke. He just wanted his fucking car.

Finally, he found the front desk, and like a man with a mission, he went straight to the point. No pussying around.

“Hi, I just need to pick up my car,” he said as he took the bill he had been given and showed it to the woman at the desk, “I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

He felt his heart sink and his stomach clench at the sight of the woman making a frown. No, no, no, fucking hell, no. Why?

“This came in last night?” She asked, as if she wasn’t reading the note Johnny had given her with that exact same information. “Is gonna be at least a couple of weeks, but we’ll call you with an estimate.”

“No, no, no” he said, removing his sunglasses. The woman needed to realise this was serious and he was not just being an asshole for the only purpose of being an asshole. “My car was not supposed to come in here. I want it towed to a different body shop.”

“Why?” the woman asked, completely baffled. As if it personally offended her that he wanted to do business anywhere else. “We have the number one team service in the Valley.”

Johnny tried to hold back his eye roll and groan as the woman kept on going and going about how wonderful rainbows and shits it was at LaRusso Auto. 

“We kick the competition,” and how Johnny hated that fucking phrase.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it a million times already,” he said, reigning in his annoyance, “I just prefer to do my business elsewhere.”

Behind him, he could hear a car salesman congratulating or something to someone and being just obnoxious. He tried to tune them out the best he could.

“Before you go, Mr. LaRusso wanted to thank you personally,” the man said, making the hairs in the back of Johnny’s neck stand out, “Let me go get him.”

Shit, shit, shit. He needed to get out as soon as possible. 

“Can you hurry it up? I got to go,” he urged the secretary as his heart started beating up like he was in a marathon. His palms started sweating, and his skin irked everywhere. Why does fate have it against him?

“Hold on,” she said with a practised, forced smile, until a frown appeared on her face, “Um, it says your car is in one of our intake lots. I'll just figure out which one,” she added with a conspiratory smile, as if Johnny was her friend and she was doing him a favour.

He couldn’t take it anymore, he needed to get out.

“You know what? I'll come back tomorrow,” he said with his own smile, winking at her to ease the tension in his chest. He looked around and tried to be as invisible as possible, acting nonchalant and cool, as if he didn’t want to run away and never look back. 

He was almost at the door, the fresh air hitting him in the face, when a voice he wished he didn’t know called for him. He wanted to scream, but resigned to his fate.

“Johnny?” LaRusso said, sounding surprised. He winced before turning around, ready to see the man responsible for everything wrong in Johnny’s life. “Johnny Lawrence.”

“I-I-I knew it was you,” LaRusso kept saying as he made his way towards Johnny, bright smiles and open arms all around. “Holy…”

But, as LaRusso approached him, Johnny was hit with a sudden realisation. Maybe fate did hated him and wanted to fuck with him by putting him in LaRusso’s path once more, but maybe fate could go fuck itself. He was Johnny Lawrence, a grown ass fucking man, whose life didn’t revolved around Daniel LaRusso. 

A petty childhood rivalry shouldn’t have a hold on him anymore, and yeah it sucked, but the past was the past and if he wanted to stop being such a fucking loser, he needed to get a grip. He needed to let go of the past.

But then again, he was Johnny Lawrence, and he didn’t do things without fucking with people. So yeah, the past was in the past, where it should stay, and that meant leaving everything in the past. Everything, including his recollection of the man in front of him.

“How the hell are you? Oh, my God, look at you. You still got those golden locks, eh?” Oh, wow, LaRusso was hugging him. Why was LaRusso hugging him, didn’t they…? No it was all in the past and it didn’t matter anymore. 

“I... sorry man, do we know each other?” he asked as LaRusso stepped back from the hug, with as much sincerity as he could muster in one simple question. 

Johnny had to fight the smirk that threatened to appear on his face as LaRusso’s smile dropped and he started fidgeting with his hands. Sue him, he was a dick. 

“It’s me man, Daniel,” LaRusso said, “Daniel LaRusso.”

“Yeah no,” Johnny said again, cringing internally. He really needed to sell this if he wanted to get out as smoothly as possible. _Don’t be that much of a dick_ , he thought to himself. “I really don’t...”

“Senior year of high school?” LaRusso asked, interrupting him, once again invading his space. What was up with the dude and personal space? “We fought at the All Valley Tournament? I won?”

Johnny just shook his head as he took a step back away from LaRusso, trying to look as apologetic as possible even if every fiber in him was asking him to beat the shit out of LaRusso after that. Yeah, he had won all the glory, with an illegal kick and… Whatever, past in the past and all that.

“You remember Ali?” LaRusso asked, with something akin to challenge in his eyes. Johnny knew he was being tested, but he was trying to be the bigger man dammit. So… a few lies here and there didn’t hurt, right?

“Ah… look Mr. LaRusso, I’m pretty sure you’ve got the wrong guy. Listen, I’ve gotta get going, so, if you’ll excuse me,” he said before turning around and walking away as dignified as possible. He could feel Daniel’s stare in the back of his neck, but he didn’t dare to turn around. 

The Firebird would have to wait.

He didn’t have any more money for a cab, so walking would have to do. As he looked around him, to the city and the people around him, he actually felt lighter that he had in years. Pretending that that Tournament had never happened gave him a new perspective. He could be a winner, the person he was meant to be if he had won the tournament. 

For starters, Kreese would’ve never choked him, so he wouldn’t have lost him that night as well. Maybe Kreese would’ve kept training him so he would have become a Sensei with his own dojo, teaching the ways of Cobra Kai to kids just like him, who had needed it the most to prove to the world that they weren’t meant to be taken lightly. Maybe he and Ali would’ve patched things up, and they’d still be married with kids… Robby, he would’ve been a good father to Robby if he had won. 

While some of those things weren’t bad, even Johnny could admit that realising what an asshole Kreese truly was had been devastating but necessary, as it had made him realise that a true Sensei wasn’t like Kreese. A man who trained soldiers to consider everyone the enemy and thinking that to have no mercy one should be ruthless. Bobby and him had been a mess after the tournament, Bobby overcome with guilt over LaRusso’s knee. Johnny hadn’t known what to feel, so he just nodded along whenever Bobby went into one of his speeches over how showing no mercy was looking a lot like fighting without honor. 

Honor… he had never considered how important it was to live by it. Kreese always talked about fear and no mercy, but never really talked about honor. Johnny vaguely remembered LaRusso’s Sensei, a man who preached to live by honor and dignity. Johnny had gone to talk to him once, a few years later after the Tournament. He didn’t know what he was doing or the reason behind him approaching the man, but before he knew, they were talking and… Mr… Mr Mi... Mr. Miyagi was telling him about “no bad students, only bad Senseis.”

So maybe Johnny was better off without Kreese, but having a dojo of his own, teaching karate sounded like something he would be good at, and something he’d enjoy. Maybe he could still do that, seeing as he was now unemployed, as the past was in the past and he was a brand new Johnny Lawrence.

Before he could dwell any more on that, he realised he had arrived at his apartment complex. Sighing as reality hit him once more, he made his way through the gate. To his surprise, the kid from last night was near the trash cans, and an idea popped inside his head. 

He was Johnny Lawrence, a man that never knew loss or humiliation. He could be a Sensei to this kid and start his dojo the way he knew how to, different from Kreese’s and better than anything anyone had ever seen. 

“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked the kid once he had turned around, startling him a little. Johnny took note that he’d have to make him more aware of his surroundings so his opponents wouldn’t sneak up on him. “Cause once you go down this path, there’s no turning back.”

“You’re gonna be my karate teacher?” the kid asked, eagerly.

And it looked to Johnny it was time for the first lesson.

“No, I’m gonna be your Sensei.” He considered his next words carefully. The past was in the past, and not only did that refer to LaRusso, but it referred to Kreese as well. He was not gonna be like Kreese, not if he could help it. “I'm not just gonna teach you how to conquer your fears. I'm gonna teach you how to awaken the snake within you so nothing can ever scare you. And once you do that, you'll be the one who's feared. You'll build strength. You'll learn discipline. And when the time is right… You'll strike back.”

And Johnny felt really good about himself as the kid smiled at him after his words. Maybe Johnny Lawrence without a past could do some good.


	2. Chapter 2

“I’m bringing back Cobra Kai,” was the first thing that he said to Bobby once the other man had picked up the phone. He was standing outside the space he had rented with Sid’s money at the mart. 

On the other side of the phone, Bobby groaned. 

“Why Johnny? I thought we were done with that.”

“I saw LaRusso.”

The line remained silent, and Johnny feared Bobby had hung up on him. LaRusso was a sore subject for the both of them, as Bobby still felt they owed him an apology even after all those years. And just when Johnny was about to close his phone, Bobby sighed.

“I’m on my way,” Bobby said before hanging up. 

Johnny could only stare at the phone before shrugging. Seeing Bobby would be nice, it had been a long time. And maybe he could help him with the dojo, because Johnny was just starting to realise how way over his head he was. 

Inside the place, he was already picturing how it was gonna look. White walls, red and black horizontal lines, the Cobra Kai mantra. Past was in the past, but the Cobra Kai teaching could be used for good. Johnny knew it. Besides, it helped with the look of the dojo, as it was gonna look badass and cool as shit. Johnny got to work, happier than he had been in a long time.

It was until a few hours later that he saw Bobby, having told him where he was when the man had gone to his apartment and hadn’t found him. He got up from the boxes with the trophies of his championships to greet his best friend. 

“You’re serious,” Bobby said to him once they had separated and looked around the place. Even if Bobby was a priest and no longer preached the way of the Cobras, he could see the nostalgia kicking in, just like it had to him. Once a Cobra, always a Cobra.

Johnny let Bobby walk around the place in silence as he contemplated his work. He was proud of himself, of the way the dojo looked and felt. Even if the past was in the past now, not all had been bad. He had met Bobby, Tommy and Jimmy. Even if they didn’t see each other that much, they were still brothers. And he was grateful for them.

“Why are you doing this Johnny?” Bobby asked as he sat next to him on the mat, contemplating the Cobra Kai motto. “And what does Daniel LaRusso have to do with anything?”

“My car was totalled by some teenagers, and it was towed. To LaRusso’s dealership. I didn’t want the Firebird to be there so I went and tried to get it back only to be ambushed by LaRusso. Man, when I saw him, I wanted to kick his face but I realised something. I’m tired Bobby, I don’t want to keep going on like this. So I understood that I needed to let go of the past, and just… be.”

“That’s…. Incredibly insightful of you,” Bobby said, measuredly, earning a snort from Johnny. “But I feel like you’re not telling me everything.”

“The past is in the past Bobby,” he said with a smile. “And as such, I don’t remember it at all.”

“You pretended you didn’t know LaRusso,” Bobby said with that particular tone of voice he used for Johnny specifically. He didn’t know whether to feel insulted or touched that Bobby only used that with Johnny and no one else. “But that doesn’t explain Cobra Kai. Are you trying to mess with him?”

Johnny rolled his eyes, annoyed. “No, Bobby. My entire life doesn’t revolve around fucking LaRusso.” He ignored his friend’s look and continued. “I was just thinking… What if I hadn't lost the Tournament? I would’ve become a sensei, married Ali, had a lot of kids. My life would be good, man. And I don’t know… If I can act like I don’t have such a shitty past, maybe I can actually have a better future.” 

Bobby just looked at him, without saying anything, and Johnny sighed. Maybe involving Bobby had been a bad idea. Sure, he was his best friend, but he also was part of the past Johnny was so desperately trying to run from. 

“There’s this kid,” he said as he couldn’t handle the silence any more, “he asked me to be his Sensei and I… I want to be what Kreese was to me but better. I won’t choke my students, I won’t destroy their souls. I know I can be better than him.”

“I know it too,” Bobby said with a small smile, “I just… wasn’t expecting that.”

Johnny shrugged, uncomfortably. He had filled his monthly quota of girly crap like talking about feelings, so he just wanted the moment to end. Luckily, Bobby knew him, so the man only smiled and clapped him in the shoulder, a proud smile on his face.

“Count me in.”

“What about your church?”

“My congregation will still be my priority, but whenever you need me just give me a call or send me a text and I’ll be here for you. Because you’re gonna need me, let’s be honest.”

“Ah yeah?” Johnny asked, a smirk on his face. This he could do, this was easy.

“Do you have your license to be a Sensei?”

“I have my driver license,” he said, grabbing his wallet.

Bobby just sighed like he always did, meaning Johnny had missed the point like he was prone to do. But Johnny didn’t care. He had one person from his past he could keep, one of the only that truly mattered. 

…

Bobby decided to leave not long after that, saying his congregation was having a thing. Johnny stopped paying attention and the man took it as his queue to leave. They hugged once more and Johnny accompanied him to the door, only to be greeted by the kid from his apartment complex, Miguel, who looked eager to start his first lesson.

“Hi, I’m ready to start my karate,” he greeted as he made his way into the dojo, only to look at Johnny and start talking a mile per minute, “ So am I going to get the karate pyjamas, too…?”

“Quiet!” Johnny exclaimed, hoping it would silence the kid, which it did. However, he fought the flinch as he saw Bobby lifting an eyebrow in questioning. Fuck, okay, okay. He could backtrack without showing weakness to the kid. No one wanted to be taught by a pussy.

“These aren't pyjamas. This is a gi, and you'll get one when you've earned it.”

“Okay,” the kid said, nodding and smiling. 

Johnny just stared at him, waiting for him to add the Sensei. But the kid didn’t seem to get it. Sharing one look with Bobby, he inhaled deeply.  _ Don’t be an asshole, you’re not Kreese _ .

“You will call me Sensei whenever you address me, understood?”

“Yes, Sensei,” the kid nodded seriously, and Johnny fought the wave of warmth that flooded in his chest. He was a badass Sensei and badass Sensei didn’t felt whatever the fuck that was. 

“Are you ready to start your training?” he asked Miguel instead, as he planted himself in front of the kid. He looked for possible weakness to know where to attack as he waited for his answer.

“Yes, Sensei,” the kid said again, but before he could finish the sentence, Johnny had hit him and grabbed his arm to throw him into the mat.

“Johnny!” Bobby exclaimed, walking towards Miguel with concern. 

The kid was groaning in pain on the floor, but Johnny knew he wasn’t actually hurt. He hadn’t even hit him at full strength. Bobby realised the same, so he stood up and joined Johnny, allowing the kid to stand up for himself. As Miguel stood up, Johnny began teaching.

“Lesson number one, strike first. Never wait for the enemy to attack.”

“You could’ve given me like… a warning,” the kid groaned as he reached for his pocket. He was about to start with the no mercy part of the training when he caught sight of Bobby tensing. He remembered their conversations about honour and mercy, so Johnny decided to go for another route.  _ I’m not Kreese. The past stays in the past. _

“When a man attacks you, he is the enemy. He’s not gonna give you a warning or signal that he’s gonna attack. He’s just gonna do that, and you need to be prepared if you want to succeed,” Johnny began circling him when he saw Miguel with his inhaler.

Johnny saw in his mind how Kreese would’ve broken the kid for such weakness. And yes, weakness had no place in the dojo. Before anything, however, he saw that the kid wasn’t actually having respiratory issues, he was using the inhaler as a crutch. So he attacked.

“What is the problem, Mr. Diaz?” he approached the kid, slowly. From the corner of his eye, he could see Bobby tensing. He ignored the wave of disappointment, Bobby had any reason to doubt he wouldn’t be another Kreese.

“There's no problem, Sensei,” Miguel replied, reclaiming his attention, “you punched me, and I have asthma, so…”

“Not anymore!” Johnny exclaimed as he grabbed the inhaler from Miguel’s hand and threw it to the wall. He really hoped his first assessment was right and the kid wouldn’t die on him. Shit.  _ Ah, whatever, it was done so move on. _

“We do not allow weakness in this dojo,” he continued, “so you can leave your asthma and your peanut allergies and all that other made-up bullshit outside. Is that understood?”

“That’s not how it works, asshole,” Bobby muttered from where he was standing, a hand in his face and his arms crossed. But he wasn’t actually mad, so it was okay.

“Yes, but those are real medical problems. I was…” Johnny only looked at him, and Miguel nodded. Good. “Yes, Sensei, understood.”

“Cobra Kai isn't just about karate,” he began explaining, hoping to get the kid to understand. “It's about a way of life. Take that first lesson: striking first is the initial step towards victory.”

He was losing the kid. He needed to improvise. 

“Okay, like when you're at a party and you see a hot babe.” Miguel only nodded, and Bobby groaned. Eh, he was a priest, whatever. “You don't wait for some other guy to go talk to her first, do you?”

“I mean, i've never been to a party, so…” the kid began stuttering before Johnny shut him up. 

“Big surprise,” Johnny interrupted. Sighing, he looked at Bobby again, who was standing there. But instead of the disappointment he expected to see, Bobby was looking at him with a spark of something Johnny didn’t know what to call. He wanted to continue down that path and figure out what Bobby’s look meant. He just needed to know how.

“All right, look…striking first is about being aggressive, all right? If you're not aggressive, then you're being a pussy, and you don't want to be a pussy. You want to have balls.”

Bobby groaned again, and Johnny was seriously considering just straight up asking him to teach instead. What did he want from Johnny? He was trying not to be like Kreese, but he didn’t have any other Sensei who he could emulate. 

“Don't you think you're doing a lot of genderizing?” Miguel asked, grounding him in the present.

And what the fuck was the kid talking about?

“What?”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” the kid blabbed before standing straight. “Don't you think you're doing a lot of genderizing, Sensei?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh, uh, my guidance counselor says that certain words perpetuate the sexist world view that can trigger…”

“Quiet!”

“He’s right, you know?” Bobby broke his silence for the first time.

“Weren’t you leaving?” Johnny asked him instead, with no idea what the fuck they were talking about.”

“I have time,” Bobby said as he rolled his sleeves and crossed his arms over his chest. Johnny rolled his eyes and proceeded to ignore them. 

“From now on, you won't listen to your guidance counselor,” he said to Miguel, ignoring Bobby for the time being. “You're going to listen to me. Is that understood?”

“Uh, yes, Sensei.”

Bobby just rolled his eyes, but a smile was on his face. Maybe being a priest for so long had messed his brain more than all those kicks in the head he had received during his time in Cobra Kai. It was the only thing that made sense.

“Now stop yapping like a little girl and give me 50 push-ups on your knuckles.”

Johnny made his way towards Bobby as Miguel made his way slowly towards the mat, muttering to himself as if he was hyping himself up. Weird kid. But then Johnny understood, as the kid’s arms could barely hold him. Sharing a look with Bobby, he stopped the kid’s suffering.  _ He wasn’t Kreese _ .

“All right, just do some crunches. Don't you have gym class or something?”

“Yeah,” Miguel replied meekly as he went to position. 

“Howdy, there, Mr., uh, Lawrence?” a man in a suit said as he entered the dojo, looking around the place with a calculating eye. Suddenly Johnny had a very bad feeling he had forgotten something important, like really important. 

“It's Sensei,” Miguel yapped, making Johnny want to groan. 

“Miguel, shut up,” turning to address the newcomer, he put on what he hoped looked like a salesman smile, which by Bobby’s snort, was not very successful. “What brings you in? Looking to lose that gut and learn how to kick some ass?”

“No,” the man replied, unimpressed and faintly he heard Bobby laugh. He wished he could turn around and flip him off, but there was a kid and all that shit. “I'm from the city health department,” the man continued as he gave him a piece of paper, “This is a list of requirements needed to open up an exercise studio.”

“This isn't an exercise studio,” Johnny replied, offended. Did no one understand the sanctity of karate anymore? “This is a karate dojo.”

“Yeah, same deal.”

Miguel continued doing his crunches and Bobby leaned on the nearest wall, a calculating look on his face. He could do this, he was Johnny Lawrence, a winner. A champion undefeated.

“Wow,” the suit said as he looked at the dojo. “This place needs a lot of work.” He turned to look at Johnny. “You're not open for business, are you?”

Without waiting for a response, he turned to Miguel.

“You, you a customer here?”

“No, that's just an illegal I picked up this morning. He's helping me set up.”

Johnny could be worried about Bobby’s throat, as he had done a lot of groaning in just a few minutes, but he needed the suit not to end his business before it had even started. Bobby and his morality could wait.

“I don't need to know about all that. My job is just to make sure this place is up to code. You don't want a scabies outbreak like that hot yoga place over on Tujunga.”

A bell went inside Johnny’s head. Fuck.

“Wait, so I have to do all this crap before I even open?”

“Seriously Johnny?”

“No, you need to do all that to get the certificate that's required to get the insurance you need to open,” the suit replied, thankfully ignoring Bobby. “But you knew that when you signed your lease, right?”

“Right, yeah,” Johnny replied, remembering the handshake and verbal agreement. And on queue, as if he could read his mind, Bobby muttered an “Unbelievable,” which if he didn’t want Johnny to hear, he needed to remember the dojo was empty and voices carried.

“I'll drop in next week for another inspection,” the suit continued saying as he made his way towards the exit. “Huh, cool rattlesnake.”

“It's a cobra,” Bobby and Johnny said out loud at the same time, making them smile.  _ Once a Cobra, always a Cobra. _

“Oh, right, duh,” the suit said, uncaringly. “I'm such an idiot. Cobra ‘Kay’."

Johnny didn’t even bother to correct him, too preoccupied with the paperwork he had just been handed. So much so, that he didn’t realise Bobby had approached him.

“Aren’t you glad I stuck around?” Bobby asked ironically as he looked with him at the requirement. With Miguel busy with the crunches, Johnny could admit to himself that he was, indeed, glad that Bobby was sticking around.


	3. Chapter 3

Bobby had put his foot down on having Miguel do all the work himself. Stupid ethics and morals of the church.

“We’re not passing unpaid child labor as karate training, Johnny,” he had said in that voice that made Johnny want to punch him and ask him to forgive him at the same time. Having a pastor for a friend was weird. 

Instead, Bobby decided to have all of them do the work, dividing the chores equally between them and with Miguel doing the safest job, like mopping the floor and cleaning all the mats. Johnny was in charge of the exposed wires. Bobby was in charge of getting them drinks and food. _Equal my ass_ , Johnny thought as he psyched himself for the wires. 

But before he could start, Miguel interrupted him.

“Sensei, what does any of this have to do with karate?”

“Do not question my methods, Diaz,” he said as he put on the gloves. “Just be thankful you're not a sumo wrestler. Those guys have to wipe their Sensei's asses.”

Johnny had thought that was the end of it, until Miguel started talking again.

“So, I, uh, see you were a karate champion, Sensei.”

“You don't have to call me ‘Sensei’ every time you talk to me.”

“I'm sorry, Sensei… I, um, sorry, I'm sorry.”

“Eh, I won a couple All Valley tournaments,” he said once the kid stopped yammering, “Didn't lose a single point my junior year.”

“All right. What happened your senior year?”

“Can’t remember,” Johnny said. _The past is in the past_. “Get back to scrubbing.”

Suddenly, something started playing and Johnny cringed and looked around. What the fuck was that?

“Where the hell is that garbage coming from? You hear that?”

“That's me, sorry, yeah,” the kid replied, answering his phone.

Johnny tuned him out as he continued with the wire work. However, for someone who talked so much, Miguel sure kept his phone calls short.

“Don't tell me you have a girlfriend,” Johnny couldn’t help but tease 

Miguel chuckled as he looked embarrassed but proud. “That was my mom, actually. Um, I told her I joined the debate team because she doesn't approve of violence, so...”

Suddenly he was reminded of himself at 8, with only he and his mom against the rest of the world. To a time before Sid and all his bullshit.

“Yeah, what about your dad? Is he okay with you getting your ass kicked up and down Reseda Boulevard?”

“Oh, I never, uh, really knew my dad, so…”

However, before things could get too sappy and girly, Bobby entered the dojo with food and drinks. Save by the pastor, who would’ve thought?

“All right, well, stop standing there and let's get to eat, we can’t have you fainting here.”

“Okay, yeah, sorry. Okay.”

“And change that ringtone,” Johnny called back as he helped Bobby with the bags. “Get some Guns N' Roses or something.”

“What's Guns N' Roses?”

“I'm going to pretend you didn't say that,” Johnny said before turning around. Fucking kids.

…

It was a few days after when Johnny found himself at the dojo with Miguel. The kid had started school so he dedicated his mornings to fix the dojo and get everything in order. There was just so much paperwork Johnny couldn’t keep track of it. But Bobby did, and Bobby was making his way slowly through them. Thank God for Bobby Brown.

Bobby couldn’t be there for every session with Miguel, but Johnny tried his best to keep imagining him there whenever he wasn’t. Bobby helped to keep the Kreese thoughts at bay, and it was easier to not be a bigger asshole with him around.

Miguel was taking on the lessons pretty well, if Johnny said so, which he did. He wasn’t very good but Johnny knew that with time and practise, Miguel could be one of the great ones. 

“You can't strike first if you don't know how to strike,” Johnny began with the lesson once Miguel was ready to start. “The cobra strike is composed of two parts…,” he said, motioning to the dummy he had bought the day earlier. “The lunge, which requires the use of the whole body… and the bite, which is everything that happens after you make contact, all right?”

Miguel nodded, and started mirroring his movements. Johnny felt a pang in his chest, and ignored it once more. But didn’t fight them. There was no place in weakness in the dojo, of course but _the past is the past_ and all that he had thought about emotions was apparently wrong. They weren’t a weakness, as he was learning.

After Miguel’s and Bobby’s poor attempts at explaining to him what “genderization” was, Johnny had tried to investigate. And while he didn’t understand most of what he found, he did realise that emotions weren’t something to hide. At least not the way he was taught.

Another point for Johnny without a past.

“You punch hard and you punch with determination,” he said as he showcased the punch in slow motion. “Hard enough to make your point across, to make them see you with fear.” Bobby’s face appeared on his face, that Halloween night of 1984, “but only when they’re the enemy. An enemy is someone who is after you, who thinks you’re weak enough to be beaten up.”

He thought of LaRusso and his impossible smug face at the dealership. Fuck, his car. He needed to get on that. Fuck.

Before he could continue, however, his phone rang, putting him out of his train of thought.

“All right, line up,” his phone kept ringing, “I want you to practice while I take this call, understood?”

Miguel nodded and he picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Is this Mr. Lawrence?” a woman’s voice asked him, confusing him. Stupid phone that never told him who was calling. 

“Yes.”

“This is Carla Jenkins, the vice principal at North Hills High. I have you listed as an emergency contact for Robby Keene.”

Robby. Johnny felt a pang in his chest at the thought of his son. Johnny, winner of the Tournament, had a good relationship with his son. But Johnny wasn’t that Johnny. However, he was now Johnny without a past, and Johnny without a past hadn’t fucked up. He could work with it. So he did.

“Uh, yeah. I'm his father. What happened?”

“We found him with Molly in the halls.”

They were seriously calling him for finding his son with a chick. Ali had never wanted to fool around in school, but good for his son for finding a girl who did. Johnny had no right to feel proud, but he did. Even if the school was reprimanding Robby about it.

“Who's Molly? Is that some chick he's hooking up with?”

“It's an illegal drug, Mr. Lawrence.”

Well, never mind. Fucking Kodak moment over.

“All right,” he said, with a sigh. “Put my kid on the phone.”

Johnny without a past could be a good dad, he could. He just needed to be there like he hadn’t before. This Johnny didn’t have any parental figures that had failed him, so he could just pretend like he did. _Think of Bobby_.

“What do you want?” his kid asked without prompt. Striking first.

“Robby, what the hell?” he demanded, trying to pretend he was a better dad than he actually was. _You’re Johnny without a past_.

“You're doing drugs? You want to flush your life down the toilet?”

“Like you're one to talk. Don't try to play dad now. You're a pathetic loser,” Robby said, without mercy. He tried to fight his instinct to fight the hurt, and stopped himself from reacting. 

“Um, I think maybe I should keep trying his mother,” the woman from before said, sounding apologetic. And no, no one was pitying Johnny Lawrence, not anymore. He was a champion god damnit. 

“No, no, I’m on my way over there, just… wait, okay?”

Reigning in his desire to punch something, he turned to Miguel, who was failing miserably at punching the dummy. He needed a drink, or two… or ten.

“Alright, I don’t have time to fix all this, so just stop, okay? I need to pick up my kid.”

“You have a kid, Sensei?”

“Yeah, about your age,” Johnny said distractedly as he tried to remember where was the fucking school. 

“Does he go to West Valley High School?” Miguel asked, eagerly.

“What? No, he goes to….” fuck, what was the name of the school? “North… fuck, I can’t remember.”

“North Hill High?” the kid asked, looking up from his phone.

“Yeah, that one. You know how to get there?”

“No…”

“I’ll just call a taxi, then,” Johnny said before remembering his role as Sensei, “and while I’m gone I want you to do 50 crunches and as many push ups as you can in your knuckles. I’ll be back in a few.”

And with that, he turned around and left the dojo. If he was changing his future, he needed to make sure Robby was part of it. He would do better.


	4. Chapter 4

Stepping out of the taxi in front of the school was a surreal experience for Johnny. He had never gone to Robby’s school, so he had no idea what it looked like. He shouldn’t have been surprised that it looked like a normal high school, but any new information about his son was like a punch in the gut. Letting go of his thoughts, he shook his head and went inside. Time to be a dad for the first time.

“Hi, I’m here for Robby Keene,” he asked at the principal’s office ignoring the odd looks of everyone around him. He knew he was still in his gi and people could look at him weird, but he looked badass and he wouldn’t be ashamed of that. “I’m his dad, John Lawrence.”

“Mr. Lawrence,” the voice from earlier called, making him turn around. Next to her was Robby, who looked less than thrilled to have him there. He fought the instance of recoiling from Robby’s hate and distaste.  _ He’s a teenager, he hates everyone, you just deserve it a little more than anyone else. _

“Yeah, that’s me,” he said for lack of a better thing to say. 

“Robby is to be suspended for a week,” the lady said as she approached him, Robby by her side. “And will need to defend his case in a preliminary hearing so he’s not expelled from school.”

“Okay,” he said, overwhelmed, “anything else?”

“We’ll contact you or your wife with more information later on the week.”

“Ex-wife,” Johnny and Robby said at the same time, making his heart twist. And really, how it was that such a small thing could mean so much to Johnny?

“Ex-wife,” the lady said, before turning to Robby. “You need to clean up your act or you won’t be allowed back in school, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Robby said, looking properly chastised. 

“He’s to be sent home with you, Mr. Lawrence,” the vice principal said to him, pushing Robby in his direction. “We’ll see each other next week.”

“Okay,” Johnny said as he grabbed Robby by the shoulder and led him outside. He could feel Robby wanting to fight off his grip, but he couldn’t let go of his son. Something in him told him that everything he did from now on could either make or break their relationship. 

Once outside, however, Robby shook his shoulder and Johnny allowed his hand to drop.  _ Baby steps, Johnny. You may have no past, but Robby does. _

“Why are you dressed like that?” Robby asked, mockingly, “Trying to relive the glory days?”

“I’m opening a dojo,” Johnny said honestly as he crossed his arms and looked at his son. “Back in Reseda.”

“To make people exactly like you?” Robby crossed his arms as well, scoffing at Johnny. “How pathetic.”

He wanted to leave the kid and his hate behind, pretend they didn’t exist and he didn’t deserve it. Out of sight, out of mind and all that. But an image appeared in his head, changing his mind. Kreese and Sid would have beaten the attitude out of him or ignored him for days.  _ You’re not them _ .

“I know you don’t like me,” Johnny said, “and fair enough, I deserve it. I haven’t been a parent to you and you can hate me, but right now until I find your mom, you’re with me so you’ll come with me to the dojo and that’s that.”

“I don’t have to do any of that, asshole.”

_ He’s a teenager, he’s angry. _ “Actually, you do,” he said as he successfully hailed a cab and opened the backseat door, “legally I’m your father and you’re a minor, so....”

Sneering, Robby grabbed his backpack tighter and climbed onto the taxi. Feeling like he had won the All Valley Tournament all over again, he smiled softly at himself. He knew Robby could’ve very well walked away, but the fact that he was there, even against his will could mean that maybe not everything was lost.

The ride to the dojo was silent. Johnny didn’t try to speak, afraid of angering his teen even more. He needed to play his cards right, otherwise he would lose Robby for good. He turned to look at Robby, who was looking through the window with a faraway look. He wanted to reach for him, but unsure as to how to without being rebuffed. 

They arrived at the dojo not long after that, and Johnny was surprised to find Miguel scattered on the floor, like a starfish. He was sure the kid would’ve left, with Johnny being away from almost an hour, but there he was, waiting for him.

“Who’s this?” Robby asked with suspicion, glaring at Miguel as he stood up next to Johnny. He felt a spark of pride at seeing his son respecting the mat by having no shoes on. Miguel, on his part, stood up at the sound of Robby’s voice, a shy smile on his face. 

“Robby, this is Diaz, a little twerp who wants to learn karate. Diaz, this is my son, Robby. He’ll be joining us for the lesson.”

“Awesome,” Miguel exclaimed as he approached Robby, his smile bigger than before, “You know karate like Sensei?”

Robby just kept glaring at him, but Miguel seemed to have lost the memo, much to Johnny’s amusement. Johnny went for the dummy to practise the punches as Miguel and Robby continued to talk.

“Eh… no,” Robby answered when he came, dropping the glare towards Miguel. Whatever it was that Miguel had asked him, it had made Robby drop his guard and Miguel laugh at Robby’s response. It was probably at his expanse, but whatever. He could take it if it meant his son would stop hating him.

“Quiet!” he exclaimed, making Robby roll his eyes and Miguel stand up straight. “We’re gonna practise your punches Diaz, ‘cause honestly what I saw before was pathetic.” He motioned for the boys to join him next to the dummy. “You need to plant your feet on the ground, look at your enemy right in the eyes, and punch him in the face!”

He pictured Sid’s face as he demonstrated his point. From the corner of his eye, he could see Miguel’s awed look and Robby’s bewilderment. He put Miguel in front of the dummy and pointed at it.

“Picture your enemy and strike.”

He watched with pride as the kid went ballistic with the dummy, but could sense that Robby was glaring again, so he changed his tactics.

“Good, now it’s your turn, Robby.”

“I don’t have an enemy,” Robby said even as he stood in the place Diaz had been with his guard on. He went to correct his posture and fists and said to him what he thought could be good advice.

“Then picture me and make me pay.”

He stood back as his kid viciously attacked the dummy. He felt every punch the kid gave as if it was him being hit, but he couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it. But he was leaving that Johnny in the past as well as everything else, and the Johnny he wanted to be would be a good father to Robby and a good Sensei to Miguel. He could do it.

They went at it for a few hours, alternating between training and fixing the dojo, with Robby and Miguel sticking together every now and then when they thought he had left the room. He texted Bobby with the updates about Robby, hoping his friend understood what he was doing and supported it.

Robby and Miguel were busy cleaning the windows while he was busy with paperwork when the bell of the door rang. Checking the hour, Johnny frowned. It was too late for someone to be asking around for a karate Sensei and Shannon hadn’t been answering her phone all day. As far as he knew, she didn’t know Robby was with him.

Sighing, he stood up and went to the door, only to freeze in his tracks at the sight of LaRusso in his dojo looking around. Miguel and Robby were hidden from his view doing the windows on the back office, but in that moment Johnny felt protective of them. Objectively, he knew LaRusso would never hurt a kid, but he also knew the little shit was vindictive when he wanted to be. 

_ The past is in the past, you never met LaRusso. He’s in the past and everything around and about him is gonna stay there. _

Controlling his thoughts and his fists he went outside, ready to pretend once more he had never met the man.

“Welcome to Cobra Kai. Looking for a place to learn how to kick some ass?” he asked with the same tone and voice he had used with the suit a few days ago, smiling politely… or as politely as he could muster. Bobby had told him he needed to practise on that.

“Seriously, man?” LaRusso asked, irritated, as he crossed his arms. “You’re still gonna pretend you don’t know me?”

“Look man, I’ve told you before, you have the wrong guy. I’ve never seen you in my entire life.”

“This is bullshit Johnny!” LaRusso screamed, opening his arms, “You’re doing this to mess with me, I know it!”

“What?” Johnny asked, bewildered. Did LaRusso genuinely think that all Johnny did was think of ways to screw with him? Honestly, talk about self centered.

“Admit it, you know who I am and this is just some bullshit power move towards me, but let's face it, you’re still the same bully you were all those years ago, still beating teenagers that can’t defend themselves.”

“What are you talking about?” 

“So you’re gonna tell me that part of your ‘memory loss’ is that you don’t remember beating up a bunch of teenagers in the parking lot out there?”

“Those assholes deserved getting their ass kicked.”

“Wow, Johnny Lawrence calling someone else an asshole, that’s a new one.”

“Man, I really have no idea why you’re pretending like you know me.”

“Stop this bullshit, Johnny. You know who I am and this is ridiculous. Just admit that you know me and are obsessed with me.”

“Wow,” he said, mostly to himself. Did people really see him like that?

“Look, just leave me and my daughter’s friends alone, okay? Get a life.”

“You’re the one that barged in, demanding an explanation to a random dude you met once and started talking bullshit. I have no idea who you are talking about and honestly? I don’t care.”

LaRusso laughed, mockingly. And Johnny’s blood boiled. Breathing down and thinking of the kids, or Miguel who needed a ride back to the apartment complex and Robby, who probably needed a place to stay, Johnny decided to be the bigger man. Sort of.

“I’m gonna have to ask you to leave.” 

LaRusso’s smile dropped and he advanced towards Johnny, standing only a few meters away. Johnny knew that specific face in LaRusso, the one that said how much he wanted to kick Johnny’s face. Johnny didn’t react to that, which infuriated LaRusso even more.

“Sensei, everything alright?” Miguel asked, stepping outside of the office, breaking the tension of the room. LaRusso’s eyes immediately went to them, and Johnny signaled them with his hand to stop. He would not let LaRusso get to the kids.

“Sensei, really?” 

Johnny ignored him, crossing his arms. He felt Robby coming closer and feared for a second that the kid would remember all his ramblings about LaRusso, breaking his lie. However, Robby remained silent, and Johnny breathed a little easier.

“Oh, my God, kids, I don't know what he's told you, but you shouldn't believe a word this guy says, or you're going to end up exactly like him.” He turned to Johnny and glared. “I know you remember me, asshole, and this? You and I? This isn’t over. We’re not done.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Johnny said just when LaRusso was at the door. “But you’re not welcome in this dojo.”

“Oh?” LaRusso turned around, glaring at Johnny. 

“I don’t know you,” Johnny emphasised, meaning every word. “And I have no interest in doing so. Unless you want to learn karate, keep yourself to your Auto Group, sir.”

“Your Firebird is still with me,” LaRusso said, a vindictive smile spreading on his face. “Is gonna cost a fortune to get it fixed.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. LaRusso?” Johnny asked, taking a step forward.

“Not at all, Johnny. Just a reminder.” LaRusso turned around and left the dojo, making his little dismissive hand gesture he did whenever something was not worth his time or attention. Johnny wanted to punch him so hard, but contained himself. 

_ He doesn’t have any power over you _ .


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel's POV

Ryan had just told him that the Haywards were finishing their business so he prepared himself to bid them goodbye. He prided himself in giving every customer at the dealership the sense that this was a family business and that by doing business with LaRusso Auto, they were becoming part of the family. He checked himself in the mirror, looking ready to dazzle, before leaving his office.

But he didn’t get very far as, right in front of him was a man who looked a lot like Johnny Lawrence. His high school bully and first karate rival. Even though it had been years since they had seen each other, he was fairly certain he would recognise the man anywhere.

“Johnny?” he asked, surprised, his heart beating a hundred miles per minute, stopping the man from leaving.  _ Please let it be him _ . The man turned around slowly, standing still as he revealed his face to Daniel. It was him. “Johnny Lawrence," he sighed.

“I-I-I knew it was you,” he continued as he made his way towards Johnny, a bright smile on his face. He couldn’t explain it, but the sight of Johnny in his dealership made him insanely happy. “Holy…”

Johnny looked good, even if his appearance was a little unkempt. The beard looked like it was a few days old, but it oddly suited the other man. His washed up jeans with holes in his knees. His old jacket. Even after all those years, the man looked quintessentially like Johnny Lawrence.

“How the hell are you? Oh, my God, look at you. You still got those golden locks, eh?” Daniel couldn’t help it and he hugged the man, or at least tried to. Johnny went still and awkward, so Daniel just put his arms around him and patted him in the back. He kept his hands on his biceps a little longer than necessary and stepped back.

“I... sorry man, do we know each other?” the man asked, looking perplexed and confused.

Daniel’s smile dropped. What? Was Johnny being for real or was he just being a dick to mess with him, even after all those years? He wanted to grab the man once more, but contained himself.

“It’s me man, Daniel,” he said, pointing to himself, “Daniel LaRusso.”

“Yeah no,” Johnny said dismissively, before he winced as he stepped back, away from Daniel. “I really don’t...”

“Senior year of high school?” Daniel asked, interrupting him, stepping closer to Johnny. Maybe if Daniel reminded him of his loss, Johnny would stop dicking around and admit he was messing with him and he did know Daniel. “We fought at the All Valley Tournament? I won?”

Daniel saw in shock as Johnny barely reacted to the jibe, merely shaking his head. He felt his blood boil and went for the one weakness he knew Johnny Lawrence to have,

“You remember Ali?” 

“Ah…” Johnny began saying.  _ Gotcha _ . “Look Mr. LaRusso, I’m pretty sure you’ve got the wrong guy.” Wait, what? “Listen, I’ve gotta get going, so, if you’ll excuse me,” Johnny said before turning around and walking away not looking back once.

Daniel stood there, watching Johnny leave and something inside him broke. How dare the asshole that made the first half of his senior year a living hell pretend like he didn’t know him? Johnny Lawrenece didn’t remember the guy whose life he vowed to make as miserable as possible? Whose ass he kicked several times? For God’s sake, he pushed Daniel off a cliff! 

Well, technically it was a hill, but still. The fucking nerve of Johnny to pretend like he didn’t knew Daniel, what a fucking joke. Guess the asshole was still trying to mess with him. Some things never changed, apparently.

“Mr. LaRusso,” Sheila said to him, “do you know the guy that just left?”

“He’s an old buddy of mine, Sheila, why?”

“Oh, is just that he wants his car towed to a different body shop and I was wondering…”

So the asshole did remember him and wanted to run away from him. Daniel would teach him a lesson on taking the high ground even when he was being a dick. Johnny would remember him for sure after seeing his car totally fixed.

“Let me see the estimate, please.”

Looking at the tablet with the estimate, Daniel could admire Johnny’s love for the Firebird as he had it in great condition before whatever accident landed him in Daniel’s body shop. Somehow he knew Johnny wouldn’t want an upgrade, just by looking at the car, but someone had done a number on the car and the repairs wouldn’t be cheap.

_ You’re the bigger man, and he’ll stop pretending like he doesn’t know you _ .

“Sheila, make sure the guys treat this car with respect and care. It’s one of a kind.”

“Okay sir,” Sheila said, taking the iPad back and writing some notes in it. She turned to leave just as Daniel had the perfect idea to make sure Johnny would remember him.

“Oh, and Sheila?” the woman turned and Daniel smiled, “the repairs are on the house.”

“Understood.”

Daniel smiled as he turned to look at the exit, remembering Johnny leaving. After he had his Firebird back, Johnny would stop the charade and admit he knew who Daniel was. 

“Hey Dad,” Sam called him as he turned around. “You okay?”

“Yeah, kid, don’t worry about it,” Daniel said to her with a smile as he went to hug her. “Everything alright?”

“Yep. I’m just here to see Mom,” Sam replied as they separated. “Is she in?”

“Yeah, in her office like always. Go ahead and I’ll see you later, okay?” 

He watched her leave, and all thoughts of Johnny Lawrence disappeared from his head. It didn’t matter if the guy wanted to pretend like he didn’t know Daniel. He would fix his car and that would be it. Daniel would be the bigger man. In the end, it didn’t matter.

…

Except that it did matter, Daniel came to realise a few days later. He was driving through Reseda, happy and fulfilled after a great day at the dealership when the sight of a Cobra Kai sign caught his attention. Daniel was caught in a flood of memories from 1984, Johnny beating him on the beach, Halloween, the All Valley Tournament. A sense of dread fell upon him and Daniel felt that for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

This couldn’t be happening. 

In a haze, he kept driving home, not sure what to feel. The only thing he knew for sure was that Johnny Lawrence was lying and he did remember Daniel. It couldn’t be a coincidence that just a few days after they reunited Cobra Kai was back. Daniel had driven through that street for years, never seeing any sign of that place. 

Johnny could pretend all he wanted, but Daniel knew the truth. Johnny knew who he was and was angry at Daniel for succeeding in life. He hadn’t let go of the past and wanted to rub in Daniel’s face that he could still get under his skin. But Daniel would prove him wrong and show to Johnny that Daniel had in fact let go of the past, unlike Johnny.

With that thought in mind, he arrived home, only to crash directly into bed. He had no energy to make dinner or check on things that had been left pending about the dealership. That would have to wait. 

But sleep didn’t come easy, as thoughts of Johnny plagued his mind. Why was Johnny pretending to not remember him? It didn’t make sense. If anyone had the right to fake amnesia it was Daniel. He sure could use it in order to get those intense blue eyes out of his head. 

Groaning, he rolled into the other side of the bed. He just wanted to sleep, not to think about his high school bully. Or how good he looked on those washed up jeans or… Sighing, Daniel admitted defeat and let his mind wander towards Johnny.

He wondered what had been of the man after high school, if he had gone to college at all or if he kept with karate. Johnny didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would get married or held long into a relationship, and he hadn’t seen a ring on his finger. So it was possible that he was single. What would be Johnny Lawrence’s type? Blonds like Ali? Or would his type had changed over the years, leaning more towards brunettes with big brown eyes?

Whatever, the asshole said he didn’t remember him so Daniel should do the same. He hadn’t thought much of Johnny in the last 30 years, so he needed to go back to that. Just the occasional thought about his childhood rival and nothing more. 

Sleep took him easy after that, leading him to dreams of the ocean and intense rays of sunshine. 

…

The next day Daniel found himself at a party down at the Country Club. He liked to be surrounded by all those luxuries and people, thinking back to a time where being in a place like it would be nothing but a fever dream. He was proud of everything he had accomplished through his hard work and wasn’t afraid to show off a little bit the fruits of his labor. 

But if he was honest with himself, he wondered, not for the first time, if he had spoiled his kids too much by giving them everything they wanted when he hadn’t had much growing up. Looking at Anthony, oblivious to the world as he was immersed in his video game, he wondered when he had gone wrong.

He approached him carefully, trying to get him to appreciate the life Daniel had given him. 

“Hey, bud, hey,” he said as he sat in front of his son, who didn’t bother to look from his game. “Why don’t you check that magician over there? He’s doing some pretty amazing things.”

“I’m on level 10,” Anthony said like Daniel was dumb for even suggesting he started doing anything else.

“All right, come on,” he said, trying one more, “you can play that game anywhere. Let’s shoot some hoots. I’ll win you a prize.”

“I’m thirsty.”

“All right, great!” Daniel exclaimed, having finally gotten a response from his son. “There’s a bar right over there. Let’s take a walk and grabbed a couple of sodas,” he added as he stood up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Nah, I’m good,” Anthony said, dismissively. And Daniel gave up.

Walking sullenly towards the bar, thoughts of Johnny Lawrence and Cobra Kai appeared on his head. Anthony was lucky, so lucky to have the life he had and he couldn’t see it. He had never been bullied and knew nothing of pain. 

Amanda was at the bar, so he decided to approach her. Maybe she would understand him and his anger at their kid.

“Y ou know, I would have killed to visit a club like this when I was his age. You know where I had to hang out in the summer? On a filthy street in Newark…”

“With a broken fire hydrant next to your Aunt Tessie's,” his ex-wife finished with a smile. Daniel was happy that even after the divorce and everything, they managed to keep the friendship that had brought them together in the first place. She would always be his best friend.

“What do you say we let Anthony play with his thing and you and I get a couple drinks?”

“Dirty martinis?” he said after a sigh. Amanda had always understood what he needed.

“Yes, ice, ice cold,” she said to the bartender, turning away from him.

“Daniel, Amanda!” Isaiah Robinson called them from behind, making them turn. Next to him was Aisha, and Daniel was reminded of better times when Samantha would spend more time with her parents instead of with her friends. He wondered if it wasn’t a response to the divorce, but she had understood and loved that her parents were still friends.

Shit, he should be paying attention as Isaiah was talking.

“Still kicking that competition?”

“You know it, Isaiah,” he said with a smile to the other man. “How’s the Q5 treating you?”

“Wouldn't know. This one over here's been behind the wheel all month, going back and forth to robot camp.”

“Dad, it's an AP physics prep course,” Aisha said, looking embarrassed.

“Mm-hmm,” her dad said, and Daniel didn’t know what to say or do to break the awkwardness that had settled in all of them. However, Aisha beat him to the punch as she turned to them.

“Hey, where's Samantha? I feel like I haven't seen her all summer.”

“Oh, she's... she's…” Daniel began saying, unsure of what to say. Sam hadn’t wanted to come to the Country Club party, saying she just wanted to spend time with her friends. And as far as Daniel was concerned, Aisha was still Sam’s friend.

“She's with her grandma,” Amanda said quickly, with an apologetic smile towards Aisha. “But I’ll tell her that you said hi.”

“Great. Later, Amanda, Daniel,” Isaiah said before turning around and leaving with Aisha.

“With her grandma? Yeah, right,” he said to his ex-wife, letting slip some of his anger at the whole situation. “Lately I can't get her to call my mom, let alone visit her.”

“What am I supposed to say?” Amanda asked him in return, trying to get him to understand. “That she's hanging out with her new friends?”

“All I know is she should be here. We come to this party once a year. She gets to see her stupid friends every day,” he said before taking a sip from his martini. He just couldn’t understand why his kids didn’t appreciate the Country Club like he did. 

“Someone's in a mood. What's going on with you?”

“Nothing, I'm fine,” he started saying but Amanda just looked at him before he could say anything else. And if he couldn’t talk to Amanda, who he could talk to? “All right, all right. You remember that... that guy from my high school whose car I just fixed for free?”

“Yeah, the blonde pretty boy that you beat in that tournament.”

“Actually, I never remember calling him ‘pretty.’” Or did he? Sure, Johnny had always had a pretty face with those blue eyes and blond head of hair. The way his face lighted up whenever he genuinely smiled, even if it was at his expense. But no, he hadn’t said any of that to Amanda, he was sure.

“Oh,” is all she said, looking contemplative, and that just couldn’t fly.

“But anyway…” he said, calling her back. She smiled at him and he continued, “First he says he doesn’t remember me at all and then...”

“What?” she asked him, interrupting him while looking confused.

“Yeah, he pulls a “I don’t know you man,” and walks out of the dealership like his ass is on fire. But then…”

“Wait, was this before or after you fixed his car for free?”

“After. Apparently he had gone to the dealership because he wanted his car towed to another body shop, but left before he could do so. So, of course, I had to prove to him that I’m the bigger man and fixed his car for free.”

“Of course,” she said, and, for some reason, Daniel wasn’t a fan of the huge grin Amanda had on her face. But he chose to ignore it and continued.

“Anyway, even when he says he doesn’t remember me, he’s still doing stuff to fuck with me.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I'm driving home from work yesterday, and I pull up to a stoplight, and I look, and in this strip mall, I see that he's got…”

And just when he was ready to let it all go and tell her how much the sight of Cobra Kai had made his blood boil, his kid called for him, interrupting him. 

“Dad, where the hell is my drink? Hurry up.”

“You know what? I'm going to throw him in the goddamn pool,” he said before turning to the bartender so he could ask for Anthony’s drink.

Guess the talk about Johnny Lawrence would have to wait a little longer.

…

He got Amanda and Anthony home, only to find Sam throwing a party. And he lost it. They were wearing his old bathing suits, for Christ’s sake! Daniel knew he was letting his temper get the best of him, but boundaries! Was everyone around him losing their minds?

After getting those teenagers out of Amanda’s house, he started cleaning up, wanting something to do with his hands. He felt like everything was slipping out of his control and he just needed one thing to make everything be back on track. 

Stacking things up in the pool house, Daniel saw that the news of his win back in 1984 was on the floor. Sighing, he picked it up only to stop in his tracks at the sight of his old Sensei. He wished, not for the first time and certainly not for the last, that Mr. Miyagi was here so he could give him some sort of advice. He was always more wise than Daniel ever could’ve hoped to be.

He saw a picture of a younger Sam training karate with him, and felt a pang at the pain of the loss. Those were simpler times, when his daughter actually wanted to spend time with him and be like him, when he could offer her some wisdom of his own.

He needed to talk to Sam and fix things with her before he left, or it would fester like an untreated wound between them. Decidedly, he made his way towards his daughter’s room, opening the door without knocking.

“Sam, you got a sec?” he asked before he realised Sam was talking to her friends. Damn it. “Oh, I didn’t know you were talking to your friends. I… I’ll be outside.”

“No, just wait a second,” Sam said to him before turning back to her computer. “Uh, yeah, I can pick you up in the morning, yes.”

She closed her computer and turned to look at him.

“I just wanted to say…” he began saying before Sam interrupted him.

“No, look, Dad… I’m really sorry about today. I shouldn't have just invited everyone over without asking you and Mom first.”

“Well, maybe I overreacted a little.” Sam just looked at him, and he conceded her point. He had been a little more than embarrassing. “Maybe more than a little, okay? Just have those guys bring their own trunks from now on, okay?

“Deal,” Sam said with a small laugh, smiling at him for the first time since the pool incident.

“So these guys…” he began, sitting on her bed. “Anyone I have to worry about?”

“You don't have to worry, Dad.”

He chuckled at that. He would always worry about her, even if she didn’t need him to. He would always see her as that girl with big smiles who always wanted bear hugs. 

“But there is this one guy, Kyler,” Sam continued, pulling him back. “He and I have been texting a little bit.”

“Texting,” he repeated, looking for clarification. Sam nodded, but the knot in his gut didn’t disappear. “Right. Just words, though?”

“What do you mea…?” Sam began asking before realisation fell on her. A grossed expression appeared on her face. “Oh, gross. No, no. Just words, Dad.”

“Good, that's good,” he said, relieved. He did not want to have that particular conversation just yet. But feeling the embarrassment coming from Sam, he offered an olive branch. “So Kyler... how about we invite him over for dinner on Friday?”

“You want me to invite Kyler to Friday family dinner?” Sam asked, skeptic. Even after the divorce, Amanda and Daniel had vowed to keep family dinners every Friday, as their own little tradition. 

“I'm not talking about walking you down the aisle,” he said placatingly. Not wanting Sam to get ideas in her head. “We're going to give the kid a meal.”

Sam rolled her eyes, but she smiled. And that was a win for Daniel.

“Besides, your brother has a sleepover. It'll be a good chance for us to get to know him.”

“Okay,” Sam conceded, “I'll see if he can come.”

“Great.”

“You don't have to worry about me, Dad. I can handle myself. I'm a LaRusso.”

“That's my girl,” Daniel said, standing up. He turned to her for their first bump. “Jersey tough.”

…

The next few days were uneventful, and true to his word, all thoughts of Johnny Lawrence slipped where they belonged, at the back of his head. He spent time with his kids whenever he could and tried to stop himself from looking at the Cobra Kai dojo, even finding alternative routes for his way home. 

However, all his progress came undone by Friday morning, when Sheila came into his office to tell him that the  1991 Pontiac Firebird in the lot was finally ready to be delivered. He stood in front of the car and thought of the man it belonged to. He pictured Johnny driving across the Valley with his golden hair shining in the sunshine, wearing those sunglasses that made him look like a superstar. 

Anoush approached him, and Daniel vanished every thought of Johnny from his head.

“We hadn’t had a car like this in a really long time,” Anoush said, admiring the car. 

“Yeah,” he said, not turning to see him. He wondered what it would feel like to be on the passenger seat of this car. The wind on his face and the road ahead of them. Would Johnny’s hair be long and free like when they were teenagers, falling down his forehead, hiding his eyes? Or would it be just long enough so it would be unkempt by the wind?

“You know when the owner is picking it up?” Anoush asked, breaking his daydream.

“No,” he said, finally turning. “I need to give him a call.”

He didn’t have Johnny’s number, or address. Or anything related to the man, but maybe he could visit the Cobra Kai dojo and end the charade once and for all. Johnny would see his Firebird all fixed up for free and would remember him. They would talk and bury the past, and maybe they could even move forward. Become friends.

Smiling at that particular thought, he clapped Anoush on the back and went to his office. He was sure his plan would work.

…

But it all came crashing down that very same night, when Sam’s friend Kyler went over for dinner. Daniel was excited to meet Sam’s friend and spend more time with his family together. Sure, Anthony was missing, but overall it was a family gathering with a special guest. 

He wanted to trust Sam’s judgement, so he went to dinner with an open mind. He was sure his demonstration of sushi would be a hit. 

“The yanagi, or yanagi ba, depending on the region, is a knife used exclusively for cutting sashimi,” he explained to Kyler as he cut the fish. He remembered simpler times in such small actions. “I picked up this bad boy on my first trip to Okinawa.”

“Voilà,” he exclaimed as he started presenting the dish. “The famous… LaRusso ponzu toro.”

“Oh, no, thanks. I don't like sushi,” Kyler said, like it was nothing. 

Daniel stopped dead in his tracks. He smiled politely as Amanda took over.

“Uh, are you sure you just don't want to try a little piece?” Amanda asked with one of her soft smiles.

“It melts in your mouth,” Daniel said, trying to sell it to Kyler. 

“Uh, no. Fish kind of grosses me out.”

Daniel turned to look at Samantha, hoping she would help him out. 

“No, you like fish. What about the fish sticks at school?”

“Oh, yeah, fish sticks are dope,” Kyler said with a smile to Sam before turning to look at Daniel. “You have fish sticks?”

“Uh, no, just this fresh fish I picked up from the Japanese market this morning,” he replied, trying to sound apologetic as Sam’s and Kyler’s faces fell. 

“You know what?” Amanda said to him, trying to ease the awkwardness at the table. “Why don't we go see if we can find Kyler something he can eat, okay?” She stood up and turned to their daughter. “Sam, you want to come with me to the kitchen?”

“Sure,” she said as she followed her mother, looking embarrassed. 

Daniel exhaled and chuckled, trying to reassure Kyler or himself. At that point he wasn’t sure anymore. He sat down and turned to look at the teenager as he began to talk.

“Thank you for inviting me over, Mr. LaRusso. Um, you have a really great house. And I think Sam is really cool, too.”

“Well, thanks. She takes after her mother.” Kyler nodded and smiled politely, so Daniel sighed. Damage control. “And listen, I never liked sushi when I was your age either. It wasn't until I met a good friend of mine that it began to grow on me. He was from Okinawa.”

Kyler only nodded. The silence was awkward, and Daniel wanted nothing more than to end it. Why was it so hard for him to connect with this kid? What was it about him? Daniel went for the safe choice and tried to make small talk, see if the kid could relax a little after the whole sushi debacle. He went with what he thought would be the easiest question.

“Where are your parents from?”

“Irvine, I think,” Kyler answered, looking confused.

“Irvine, right.” Daniel murmured, looking lost. So, nothing there. Looking over at Kyler, he noticed the bruises, and remembering his own days of fights, he tried to find more common ground.

“So tell me about that shiner you got there.”

Kyler's look of confusion disappeared, replaced by alertness, making Daniel’s head start thinking of Halloween nights. Kyler touched his face, blocking Daniel’s view of the bruise.

“Oh, this. Um…” Kyler hesitated, and Daniel sensed something off, but he had to play it cool. “This is from wrestling. You know, I dodged the wrong way, and I caught an elbow.” Kyler laughed, dismissively. “It's stupid.”

“Is that how you hurt your hand, too?” He went nonchalant, to see if he could get the kid to talk. But Kyler hid his hand and stopped smiling. 

Daniel needed to reassure him that he understood him.

“No, it's okay. I was in my share of fights back in high school.”

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Kyler denied, not looking him in the eye.

“Come on, Kyler, I know high-school kids can be rough.”

“No, it wasn't a kid.” Daniel stopped dead in his tracks once more. Maybe he needed to go after this in a different way.

“So there was a fight,” he said calmly, trying to gauge the situation. And when Kyler only sighed and said nothing, Daniel got worried. 

“Is there something going on at home?”

“Oh, no, no, no. Um… Okay, some guy at a mini mall… He just jumped on me and my friends.”

“What?” Daniel asked, confused. Suddenly, a sense of dread dropped in his stomach, blue eyes clear in his vision.

“Yeah. We were just at the store, trying to get some protein bars. And, yeah, some homeless-looking guy…” blond hair, unkempt beard, an old t-shirt. “He just started giving us a hard time. And the next thing we know, he busts some karate.”

“Karate?” A black hachimaki, ruthless hits, an elbow to the knee. “Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. What mini mall was this?”

…

If Daniel was honest with himself, he always knew Cobra Kai wasn’t truly dead. He could feel it, deep in his gut and in his bones. It was like a poison, spreading undetected until it was too late. A ghost from the past that refused to die. 

And, of course, it had to be Johnny Lawrence that brought it back. 

Entering the dojo, Daniel was almost knocked out with a sense of deja vu. Of being 17 and being in Cobra Kai for the first time, hopeful and naive. He hadn’t been like that in a really long time, and he missed it for a second. 

“Welcome to Cobra Kai. Looking for a place to learn how to kick some ass?” Johnny asked as he stepped out of his office, looking calm and polite. And that, that’s what broke Daniel. Because Johnny Lawrence was many things, but calm and polite wasn’t one of them.

“Seriously, man?” he asked in lieu of a greeting, irritated, as he crossed his arms. “You’re still gonna pretend you don’t know me?”

“Look man, I’ve told you before, you have the wrong guy. I’ve never seen you in my entire life,” Johnny said in a placating tone of voice, which only infuriated him, even longer. Why was Johnny doing all of this?

“This is bullshit Johnny!” he screamed as he opened his arms and encompassed the dojo, “You’re doing this to mess with me, I know it!”

“What?” Johnny asked, looking genuinely confused. Like Daniel was crazy for thinking that it was merely a coincidence that just a few days after they had reunited Cobra Kai was back in the Valley.

“Admit it,” he accused, done with Johnny’s bullshit. “You know who I am and this is just some bullshit power move towards me.” 

Kyler’s face appeared on his mind, and he saw red.

“But let's face it, you’re still the same bully you were all those years ago, still beating teenagers that can’t defend themselves.”

“What are you talking about?” Johnny asked him, still going for calm and collected. And Daniel was seething.

“So you’re gonna tell me that part of your ‘memory loss’ is that you don’t remember beating up a bunch of teenagers in the parking lot out there?”

“Those assholes deserved getting their ass kicked,” Johnny replied, crossing his arms. And, there, right there, was the Johnny Lawrence he knew. He could work with that.

“Wow, Johnny Lawrence calling someone else an asshole, that’s a new one.”

“Man, I really have no idea why you’re pretending like you know me,” Johnny said, dismissively. And how dare he? Did he know who he was talking to?

“Stop this bullshit, Johnny. You know who I am and this is ridiculous. Just admit that you know me and are obsessed with me.”

“Wow,” the other man muttered, almost as if to himself. And Daniel was done with him.

“Look, just leave me and my daughter’s friends alone, okay? Get a life.”

“You’re the one that barged in, demanding an explanation to a random dude you met once and started talking bullshit. I have no idea who you are talking about and honestly? I don’t care.”

Or maybe he wasn’t done, as Johnny’s little speech made him laugh, sarcastically. Johnny Lawrence trying to appeal to some non existent higher ground as if he was being wronged? Johnny Lawrence was no victim.

“I’m gonna have to ask you to leave,” Johnny said in a final tone, silencing Daniel’s laugh. He couldn’t let this asshole keep messing with him. Johnny needed to admit the truth, and Daniel could finally move on.

He walked towards Johnny, standing only a few meters away from the other man. He was reminded of the Tournament. And Daniel saw recognition pass through Johnny’s eyes. But he didn’t walk towards him, he didn’t make a move. So all Daniel could do was stare. 

“Sensei, everything alright?” A voice from behind Johnny asked, breaking the tension of the room. Daniel’s eyes went towards the voice, and the sight made him want to scoff in disbelief. Behind Johnny there were two kids, maybe Sam’s age looking at Johnny with apprehension in his eyes. And seriously? It’d better be a joke.

“Sensei, really?” 

Johnny said nothing, only crossed his arms. The blond kid stepped closer to Johnny, as if in a protective manner, and Daniel’s anger came back with a vengeance. He wouldn’t let Johnny corrupt young minds like Kreese had done back in the day. He wouldn’t let any kid go through the Cobra Kai training, ever again.

“Oh, my God, kids, I don't know what he's told you, but you shouldn't believe a word this guy says, or you're going to end up exactly like him.” He said to them trying to warn them of their fate if they followed Johnny’s steps. He turned to the man himself and glared. “I know you remember me, asshole, and this? You and I? This isn’t over. We’re not done.”

He turned around and walked away, ready to have the last word, when Johnny spoke, stopping him in his tracks.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. But you’re not welcome in this dojo.”

“Oh?” Daniel said, turning around, lifting an eyebrow as he looked at Johnny. 

“I don’t know you,” Johnny said, enunciating every word, like Daniel was stupid. “And I have no interest in doing so. Unless you want to learn karate, keep yourself to your Auto Group, sir.”

“Your Firebird is still with me,” Daniel said, remembering the car back in the lot. All fixed up and ready for Johnny to pick it up. But the asshole didn’t need to know that. “Is gonna cost a fortune to get it fixed.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. LaRusso?” Johnny asked, finally taking a step forward towards Daniel.

“Not at all, Johnny,” he replied as sweetly as he could muster, smiling at him. “Just a reminder,” he added as he turned around and left the dojo, making a dismissive hand gesture as he left. He got to the car, and glared at the dojo, thinking of what to do next.

_ Let's see who has the final word after all, asshole. _


End file.
